Ethics Complaint Filed Over Amazon Online Sales Tax Agreement

The Mississippi Justice Institute has filed a complaint with the Mississippi Ethics Commission over the state Department of Revenue’s refusal to release a copy of an agreement with Amazon for the online retailer to collect sales tax on online purchases without a court order. MJI, the legal arm of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, filed the complaint last Friday.

“Mississippi law requires government transparency and accountability,” said MJI Director Mike Hurst. “As taxpayers, the public should be allowed to know the details of our state agencies’ agreements and contracts with outside entities — in this case, a billion-dollar corporation collecting taxes on behalf of the state. These details are particularly important because they involve an issue with current active legislative debate and recently completed but not yet enacted rule making by the Department of Revenue. The state is making policy on this issue without revealing public information which could inform the citizens.”